March 18, 2026 by

Hey everyone! My name is Katie Handel, and I am a senior English major at Cedarville University. I’m from Crofton, Maryland, and Cedarville is in my family’s blood; I wouldn’t have wanted to attend college anywhere else! 

A day in my life starts in my dorm. I lived in Printy Hall during my freshman year and Johnson Hall during my remaining three years. While in Johnson, I have been serving as an RA (Resident Assistant) for the last two years.  

Even though it’s a longer walk to the academic buildings, the community in Johnson has grown me in so many ways. Due to the distance, those who live in Johnson are here intentionally, and that attitude reflects in dorm events and hall interactions. 

Morning Routine 

I’ve always been an early riser, so I normally wake up an hour before I need to leave my room. During that hour, I get ready for my day and have my devotional time.  

I’ve found that doing my devotions in the morning works best for me because I love to start my day in the Word and end my day praying with my roommate right before we curl into our beds. Sometimes, a few friends and I brave the cold morning weather to work out, and other mornings, I play tennis with a group of retired men. 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have my Literary Research and Recovery (LRR) class with one of my friends in my hall. I normally knock on her door at 8:10 so we can start walking over together.  

I took Literary Research and Recovery for two reasons: 1) I needed another class to fill my schedule, and 2) the professor mentioned publishing opportunities. 

Little did I know how much God would grow me in that class. In LRR, we are transcribing the journals of Martha McMillan, who lived in Cedarville in the 1800s. She wrote about her daily life, her children, and events on their farm. Most importantly, she made notes in the journal almost every Sabbath and wrote what she learned. These Sabbath lessons have grown me so much in my own faith and reminded me of God’s faithfulness. 

Chapel  

Chapel each day is also a wonderful reminder of Christ’s faithfulness. Recently, Bill Boulet spoke from Acts 20 about being deeply rooted in Christ to combat spiritual warfare. To stand firm, believers need to lean into God and trust in his faithfulness and promises. Only in Christ will we stand.

 

Lunch Break 

I normally have a full calendar of scheduled meals, whether that’s with my friends, a girl in my hall, or my fiancé. 

I’ve that The Commons offers the best balance between meal options and provides more allergy-friendly options than some other dining locations. Because my roommate is gluten- and egg-free, we often eat at the dining hall together.  

My lunch times also change every semester based off my schedule. This semester, I work at the Postal Services four times a week, so after lunch on Tuesdays, I load lockers for an hour. I enjoy working at Postal Services because everyone is welcoming, and the work isn’t too hard or complicated. 

Classes

My favorite class this semester is Creative Capstone II. In this class, creative writing students take two semesters to complete a finished creative work. My roommate and I are currently writing novels, and a few others are writing poetry or essay collections. This class is my favorite because I want to publish creative work when I graduate and already have a few projects in the works. 

Another class directed toward seniors like me is English Seminar. In this class, we prepare an hourlong presentation on a short story (past years have had different focuses), then lead an hourlong discussion on the text. Later in the semester, we will write an original research capstone paper we started researching last semester in Literary Theory. 

This year, the English Seminar class is broken into two sections: Tuesday and Wednesday. I am in the Wednesday section, but I attended the senior presentation of a friend of mine this Tuesday. 

Inklings Workshop Group Meeting 

On Tuesdays, I usually also attend my Inklings workshop group, which is a group of people from all sorts of majors who meet to workshop creative writing pieces.  

Today I led an event for my hall instead. I took some girls to enjoy Pizookies (pizza cookies) at BJ’s, a restaurant about 20 minutes from campus. Events like this are a wonderful time to bond and enjoy a sweet treat off campus at the same time. 

Even though my class schedule is the same every week, each day looks different. Professors are always teaching us different concepts, chapel speaks into my life in different ways, and God is always moving.  

As a senior looking back, I see the growth I have experienced both in my relationship with Christ and as an English major. God has grown my writing so much, and I know He will carry me far.  

If you’re interested in English, I highly recommend Cedarville University. You will grow in your craft, form invaluable connections, and make lifelong friends who will push you toward your goals. If you are interested in learning more, check out the program on Cedarville’s website. 

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